A Chocolate for the Baseball Team Captain
by mrskoba
Summary: There's no way Ryu Sanada only got giri/gratitude chocolates from girls. A fanfic about Ryu Sanada, from his secret admirer's POV. Set around chapter 82 (the 2nd year Valentine day arc). /This is kind of my take on Ryu's baseball life, so, please expect many OC's/
1. Chapter 1: The Secret Admirer

**Author's note:** _It intrigues me a lot how Ryu said he got only giri/gratitude chocolate(s), so this is my take on it. This also serve as my take on (glimpse of) Ryu's baseball bits. The last chapter __contains spoiler for chapter 82__._

_BTW, I'm aware I suck greatly as a writer (grammar, vocabulary, plot... In short, every single aspect of writing fiction), but I'm willing to learn. So, let me grow by your concrit :3  
_

* * *

**+ The Secret Admirer +**

There was this second year guy, whom I got to know since I applied to be a team manager at baseball club at my school. If you were in the club, it'd be hard to overlook him, as he was kind of the star of our club. He was mainly a catcher, but he had been the fourth batter since his first year. His strategic views had been always a great help for our team. His defensive strategies were particularly so good that even the coach always asked his opinion. My first year peers looked up at him a lot. The second years relied on him a lot. I heard he used to have hard time when he was a first year due to jealousy from the senpais, but from what I seen for the past year, the third years were actually relied on him a lot as well.

His name was Ryu Sanada. He was mostly silent, but he wasn't cold nor awkward. He was kinda intimidating at first sight, but as you get to know him better, you would know he was actually very easy going and just went with the flow. And I had been secretly in love with him for the past few months.. Ah.. here I was again, daydreaming about him again in this boring class..

"Yuka-chan. Are you going to give it? To Sanada senpai?" Whispered a girl next to me. My seatmate Rei-chan was the only one who knew I like Sanada senpai.

"Uhm, what?"

"Come on! You know what I'm talking about. Tomorrow is valentine day!"

"Oh.. Chocolate uh? Well, I've made it, but I don't know if I can hand it to him.."

"Eh..? Why! Who doesn't want a chocolate from you. You're the cute Yuka Sakurai, after all.."

"But senpai never see me that way.."

"But aren't they, the baseball club's members, always adore you! Always chasing after you like you're a french doll or something.."

I didn't know what to answer.

"Hey, Cheer up! You know what! Each time I stumbled upon baseball club's boys at cafeteria or hall, they were always talking about you. How Yuka-chan is so cute. How Yuka-chan is so pretty and capable. How they're so lucky to have you as their team manager.. Stuff like that. And I swear! I often saw Sanada senpai was among them as well!"

I took a deep breath. "I bet he didn't actually engage to that kind of conversation, did he?"

"Ah.. Well.. that doesn't mean he didn't agree to them, huh..? He's the silent type anyway.. You said it before.."

"No. It's not about his silence. It just he genuinely doesn't care. Do you think I can't see it? I'm watching him for the whole year, and he never even speak to me if it wasn't for club's things."

"That's because you aren't aggressive enough!"

"No. You don't understand it. He likes somebody else.."

"Really..? Who..?"

I took a deep sigh. I had been a baseball club manager since middle school, and my live principal was to never fall for the boys in my team, but for this time, I really couldn't help it. Sanada senpai was so irresistible I wonder how come he had no girlfriend. That was what people keep says, that he had no girlfriend. Or maybe to be precised, that was what I want to believe. The thing was, if he wasn't engage in club activities, he was almost always seen together with this particular girl his year. A sexy tall girl, with such a sassy beauty. But people always said, they were just long time bestfriends.

Erh, this drives me crazy! But well, who knows..? Maybe they _were_ just best-friends.

"You're right Rei-chan. At least, he get my name right.." I felt my cheeks got slightly pink.

"Eh..?" Yeah, people who didn't know him would never get the idea, how a small thing like that could cheer me up in my bad days.

"I'm going to ask it myself. It has to be tomorrow or never."

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"**Next chapter: _The Silent Smile_**"


	2. Chapter 2: The Silent Smile

**Summary of chapter 1**: _Yuka Sakurai was the team manager of Kitahoro High baseball club. She was adored by all the boys at the club except by the one she always set her eyes on, no other than the club's new captain, Ryu Sanada._

**Glossary**: _Kouhai _- lower classmen

* * *

**+ The Silent Smile +**

Valentine Day morning.

Our baseball club just finished the routine morning practice. It had been half a month since Sanada senpai succeeded our previous captain, Ishida senpai. With Pin couch always skipped the morning practice, Sanada senpai leaded the training.

"It's still February, but we will face the spring tournament in no time. Though it just a warm up before the Summer Tournament, treat it seriously!" There there, his dreamy sexy deep voice closing this morning practice. It always sounded even sexier each time he gives the boys commands like this.

"Yes, sir!" The boys answered him respectfully yet excitedly.

"And you, Yamamura, you need to work more on your pitch. It's still too weak. Our main pithcer Ishida senpai has retired, so, we'll rely on you from now on."

"Yes, sir!" The assigned Kawamura gave a quick deep bow.

"Dismiss!" He closed the session.

"Well well.. The _kouhai_ do look up at you alot, huh, Sanada?" Said our second year shortstop, Sato senpai. "Look at how they never mind you messed up their names," he grinned widely.

"Eh.. He wasn't Yamamura?" Sanada senpai plainly replied, followed by a mumble '_I was pretty sure_'.

"It's Kawamura. Kawa! Seriously Sanada, it's been almost a year.. Tsk," Sato senpai gave Sanada senpai another teasing grin. "By the way, Yuka-chan, thanks for the chocolate, yo!" Sato senpai gave me a wink and the rest of the boys were cheering something like '_Yuka-chan is the best_' and went out of the field, heading to the corridor. It was only me and Sanada senpai now in the field.

"Ah, right, Kawamura.. River instead of mountain, uh.." mumbled Sanada senpai. "Anyway, Sakurai, have you contact Haryu High for our upcoming friendly match?" He took out a towel from his bag and wiped his face and neck with it.

I couldn't help by smile. If there was a thing which still give me hope in chasing Sanada senpai was, how he was fairly fast in getting my name right. "Ah, yes. They're free in March. So, it'll be the first weekend next month," I replied.

"Great. I'm sure we can beat them this time," He gave off a sharp glance like an eagle, "The first year is showing great progress. We just need to polish Kawaguchi a bit more," he added sharply. I giggled. Look at how he kept messing up people's name. Isn't he so cute?

"Yes. It's all thanks to your hard work, Captain. By the way, he is Kawamura, Captain."

"Ah.. Wasn't I said that.." he mumbled. I smiled.

"Captain. No, I mean, Sanada senpai." I took out the last chocolate from my bag. "I made this for you, I hope you will like it." I hope he didn't notice how my hands trembled.

"Thanks." Senpai took the chocolate and put it to his bag carelessly. The way he put it in, I bet he didn't even notice how it was noticeably way bigger and wrapped much more nicely compared to the chocolates I gave to Sato senpai and the rest of the boys. Seriously, the others only got a cheap and tiny 10-yen chocolates, while for Sanada senpai's I went all out making it handmade.

"You don't want to eat it?"

"Later. I just ate onigiri." He gave a quick look at the small trash bin not far from us. There was nothing there but a grumbled plastic wrap. He took off his baseball cap and put it in to his bag with other stuff without much care. Snap, I bet my chocolate had been crushed.

"Senpai, why do you remember my name well? By the way, here's the updated data about Haryu High you asked me before. There are also some documents you need to sign in." I handed him the folder.

He took the report, took a sit, and started to skim it, "Well, it's easy to associate to. I like sakura anyway, so.."

"You used to call me Sakurada a lot."

"Really..." he replied flatly.

"Or Sakuraba.."

"Ah sorry." He was still skimming the report. You would know for sure, he wasn't that sorry. Well, that was the way he is.

"I wonder if you ever get someone else's name right, right away?" He stopped skimming for a while. I swore I saw him smiled a little before continuing the skimming. What was the meaning of that smile I wonder? Heck, I'd just ask him straight to the point. "Senpai," I took a deep breath, "Is it true, what Sato senpai and the others say that you have no girlfriend?"

"Do you have problem with that..?" He asked it so casually with his usual poker face, while still skimming the report with occasionally marking it with his pen.

"Ah, sorry.. It just.., I don't really believe them.."

"Well, they aren't wrong.."

"So, does that mean..," I gulped, "I still have a chance..?" I felt my pulse was getting faster. This time, he stopped the skimming. "Sanada senpai. I like senpai. I don't know since when, it's not love at the first sight, but as we spent time—"

"I do." Senpai cut my words. I stunned. "I do have other girl I always liked." My heart suddenly got cold. I had expected an answer like that, but still, it hurted more, now that I heard it from his own words. He was staring at the trash bin. No, I was pretty sure he was staring at the plastic wrap of the onigiri he just ate, but I bet there was just something on his mind. Whatever, what I could clearly see was the fact that there was a hint of happy smile on his face.

Crap this broken heart of mine, I had gotten this far, let me just finish it to the end. I built up my courage and decided to ask the thing that had me wondered for months, "Is she, by any chance... Yoshida senpai..?" He didn't answer. But his smile grew a little. A happy and tender smile like I've never seen before. And he was still starring at the trash bin for several next seconds before he continued skimming the report and documents thoroughly, and signing some of them. All was done with the smile still on his face. My freezing heart just got crushed.

"Here," he handed me over the signed documents. "I'll keep the report. Gotta go. Good job for today." He stood up and soon, went out of the field.

"Senpai. Sanada senpai." He turned his head towards me, "Could you at least call me by my given name, like everyone else in the club?" That was my last bet. That was my last wish. Please.

"Ah.. Sorry." Damn, that poker face. Then he went heading to the corridor, just like that.

I knew it. Out of anything, the most I got jealous over that tall Yoshida senpai was, how senpai called her just by name. The only girl I've ever saw who got such treatment from senpai. I knew he liked her. I heard they've been together since middle school. But the way I saw it, seemed like they've been together since forever..

I knew this confession wouldn't work. I was such a fool for wasting my time doing it. The way he smiled when I mentioned Yoshida senpai, I never seen him making such a face before. Maybe except when we won over a game.. No, I could see it was such a very different happy smile. The smiles he made when we won weren't that tender... Suddenly I felt cold water running through my chest. Without I realized, my upper side uniform was already wet by my tears..

"Oi, Sakurai!" Wait. Oh gosh! What was with this familiar annoying voice? That was our couch's voice, Pin! Why the hell he was here now. He never attended morning practice anyway, not even just to supervising it. He smirked at me like a jerk. "I saw the whole scene.. So you just got rejected uh? Bwahahaha..!" This must be the worst days of my life! To had this dumb couch saw me got rejected! "You know what? It's not your fault. It's just that Ryu boy got a weird sense of ideal girl! Mwahahahahahahaa—" He rested his hands on his waists. I wanted to puke hearing his insulting laugh.

"Couch! Stop it! That's not weird! Yoshida senpai looks like a very nice person. She's cheerful and not to mention she got a very nice and sexy figure.. I can very see why he falls for her!"

"Ah.. So you're backing her, huh? And here I was hoping for you started badmouthing Yoshida with me. You dissapoint me girl, gwahahahahaha.." What the hell. I never got why a person like him be a teacher. "Well, here's the new training menu list. We'll start it tomorrow, and we won't held afternoon practice today, so make sure to hand it out to the boys later today."

"Okay." I muttered grumpily. I grabbed the handouts and my bag, ready to heading back to my class room as soon as possible.

"Ah~~ Do you need me to help you with Ryu's one?" He smirked at me teasingly, "You don't need to push yourself facing the guy who just rejected you~~" his ugly teasing face really made me want to punch him, if only he wasn't a coach.

"No thanks! I can handle it!" As if I wanted this dumb couch bully me even further by accepting his help.

"Tsk.. You're no fun.. By the way, Sakurai" Uh oh, what was it now? I turned my back to face him with the most hesitancy. "I know those two since they were kids.." Oh really? So.., what? My eyes rolled. "The things between that Ryu and Yoshida, it's not as simple as what you said..," Wait, what did he mean? Why did his tone suddenly get all serious? "It's not just about she's cheerful and has nice long legs," he let out a deep sigh as he rubbed his chin seriously. Was it really him, I wonder? "The bond between them, is deeper than what you could think.." For a split second, I thought, I saw Pin couch looked like a real couch and teacher to looked up to. "Either way, they're both dumb, you know! Gyahahahaha!" There he was back to his usual idiotic self. I felt so dumb for ever thinking even for just a second that he looked like a real teacher.

But..

Deeper than what I could think, huh..?

Oh well..

I clenched my fist tight, hoping to hold my tears. Damn, would I be okay to attend class like this? And I still had to face Sanada senpai as soon as the coming lunch break? For the first time of my life, I regretted for not accepting Pin couch's dumb help.

* * *

"**Next chapter: _The Girlfriend in Disguise_**"


	3. FINAL: The Girlfriend in Disguise

**Summary of chapter 2: **_Today was Valentine day, and Yuka Sakurai, the baseball club's team manager, just confessed her feeling to Ryu at the club's morning practice session, just to instantly got rejected by him._

**Glossary:  
**_Giri chocolate_: "Gratitude / friendship chocolate" girls give to boys / their guy friends.  
_Honmei chocolate_: "Love chocolate" girls give to the boys they have romantic feeling to  
_Kouhai_: lower classmen

* * *

**+ The Girlfriend in Disguise +**

Later that day, at lunch break.

I had handed out most of the handouts from Pin couch to the boys. Actually I had handed all of them but Sanada senpai's one. I still hesitated to face Sanada senpai after what happened this morning, so I planned to just type out the schedule and email him later after school. I knew I shouldn't acting like this but at least let me be an unprofessional team manager just for today. I was heading back to my class, walking down the stairs by the corridor in front of training hall, when I heard a girl's voice shouting, "HURRY UP AND EAT IT!". I found the voice was kinda familiar so I looked up to see who she was, and what was happening. Soon, I regretted my curiosity. I saw Sanada senpai was face to face with a girl I could only see her back. The tall slender figure, no other than Yoshida senpai. Sanada senpai was holding what it seemed to be a chocolate cupcake. He was staring at it with such a dear amazement I myself surprised he could make such an expression. I turned myself behind the wall. I couldn't see it. My body was shaking. I didn't want to see such a scene. But I couldn't take my feet out of here either.

"Did you receive any other chocolates..?" Yoshida senpai's voice sounded like a fragile little girl while asking it. It was not like how I used to hear her. As what I seen, she was load, even from far away. But maybe, it was always like that if they were just alone like this.

"Yeah, giri ones.." He said.

_Bathum. _

Giri ones? Did he just forget my chocolate?

"Are those really giri chocolates?" she asked again. Senpai didn't give her any answer.

So, he just saw my chocolate as giri, huh..? Damn. Or did he don't want to make her worry..? Damn. Either way, it hurted my pride. It hurted so much I stunned there for about 10 minutes, until Yoshida senpai ran through the stairs passed me by. I cached how her face was very red although she had tried to cover it by her hand.

The next moment, Sanada senpai passed me by as well, walking slowly yet steadily. But he stopped suddenly. "Sakurai, what are you doing here?" Shit. I was hoping he didn't notice me.

"Senpai. So– sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop you—"

"You saw me with Chizuru?"

I nodded. Urh, how I wished you call me Yuka as well. "You know what, senpai. The way I see it, it's hard to believe you two aren't dating.. Even long before this, I've always thought you two look great together as a couple."

"Thanks," he smiled. Damn damn damn. The very tender smile he did this very morning.

"Why don't you just go out with her seriously..?" Crap, why did my voice sound trembling like this.

"Chizuru.. She still needs time.." the tint of smile had faded into his usual poker face.

"Anyway, why did you say you only get giri chocolates?" He didn't answer. "I don't know about the other chocolates you got, but at least you could say you got a honmei one from your baseball kouhai!" Without I realized, I raised my voice uncontrollably. "Ah, never mind. Forget what I said.." I didn't know why I snapped like that. "You probably didn't even realize it was a honmei..," I said in a low whisper. "Here's coach's new training menu." I handed the handout to him. "He wants everyone start it by tomorrow."

"Thanks. Gotta go." He turned back and walk away from me. Once again, he left me just like that. I watched how his back was getting smaller and smaller.

"Sanada senpai." He already walked away about 20 steps or so when I shouted his name. He turned his head towards me. "At least, get her to your side soon, or I'll never forgive you for not admitting my chocolate as honmei!"

"I know. The chocolate was good by the way!" He shouted. Plainly.

Shit. I totally lost. Bestfriends my ass. Only fools who could believe they were just bestfriends. Even if they're not yet officially a couple, they are clearly a couple by heart. Clearly.., lovers in disguise.

-END-

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**Author's rambling**:

Well! Finally, for the first time of my life, I wrote a _finished_ fanfic! *_don't laugh at me but that mere fact is already an accomplishment to me lololol_ OTL*

If there's anyone who read this until the very end, oh wow, thank you! I guess you'd have many complains to me right now? Please don't hesitate to drop me any feedback! I'm such a total noob in this fic writing thing, and I'd love to hear any feedback. Don't hesitate to be blunt. I'm totally cool to criticism, and I'm so willing to learn how to write a fiction.

I'm aware I suck greatly as a writer (grammar, vocabulary, plot, in short, every single aspect of writing fiction), but I'm willing to learn. So let me grow by your concrit :3

Anyway, just FYI, I'm currently in a _crazy_ -very crazy- writing frenzy mode. I have five stories in my draft I'm still working at (all are about my dearest OTP: ChizuxRyu, yay for me:9 _Anyone a fellow crazy CxR shipper out there? PM me! I love to chat about them_). Four of them are 90%-99% finished and the last one is still in a briefly fleshed layout stage. I decided to dedicate my free-time to finish that last one as a fully completed and _proper_ multi chaptered fanfic (unlike this messy fic I unashamedly shared here ha ha OTL), though I suspect this is going to be a _very_ long journey.

If you're interested in beta-read my fic (either this, or the next one), oh, I'd love to! Please let me now by PM. As I suck at everything, any style of beta-reader would be very helpful to me :3


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